By Tessa Pulyer Posted on

#BlogTour #PsychologicalThriller #BookReview | The Happy Family by Jackie Kabler

Thank you to Rachel’s Random Resources for my spot on this blog tour.
A mother who disappeared… When Beth was 10 years old, her beautiful, wild mother Alice walked out and never came back. Beth’s life since hasn’t always been smooth sailing, but now she is happy and settled, with a successful career, a loving family and a beautiful home. An unexpected visitor… Then one day there’s a knock at the door. Alice has returned. Overjoyed to have the chance to rebuild their relationship, Beth invites her mother to move in. A life that comes crashing down… At first, everything seems wonderful. But then Beth’s friends begin to drift away, strange things start to happen at home, and rumours begin to circle about her past. As the mysterious events around Beth become darker and more dangerous, she is forced to question everything. Is somebody in her life trying to destroy her happiness? And how far will they go?

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Rating: 4 out of 5.

The Happy Family by Jackie Kabler is a fast-paced, entertaining read perfect for your day at the beach or pool.

What I Liked

I enjoyed the well-developed characters, particularly Beth who is a single mom of two school-age children.  She has set up a great friend/support system at work and at home with friends who, though are older than her, really care about what she’s going through and are there for her when she needs them.  Her mom walked out of her life 30 years ago and when she walks back into it, unexpectedly, the supportive world that Beth has carefully created for herself and her children begins unraveling at the seams.

When the unraveling starts, so to does the suspense and pace of the book.  I hated what Beth was going through and boy did she frustrate me more than once, but it sure did make the pages turn fast and furious as I wanted to see how far the derailed train would go before it crashed.  I couldn’t wait to see what was going to happen and the pace adjusted appropriately as my need to know grew stronger.

I enjoyed the twists at the end.  Okay, I admit I did see all of them from early on, but I still enjoyed finding out if I was right or not.  After all, I could have easily been wrong because there were definitely other possibilities.  Sometimes, it’s not about how shocking the twists are but just that there are a number of possibilities that keep the reader guessing until the end.

I loved the themes of the importance of friendship and family that wind their way through the mystery plot.  Beth has an extraordinary group of friends and she has managed to keep a good relationship with her ex-husband and the woman in his life.  Even though she has not had a mother since she was ten years old, she is a wonderful mom to her two children not leaving any room for the mistakes her own mother made to become her own.

To Read or Not to Read

If you are looking for a fast-paced, entertaining psychological thriller, look no further. The Happy Family is the book you are looking for.

Jackie Kabler worked as a newspaper reporter and then in television news for twenty years, including nearly a decade on GMTV. She later appeared on BBC and ITV news, presented a property show for Sky, hosted sports shows on Setanta Sports News and worked as a media trainer for the Armed Forces. She is now a presenter on shopping channel QVC. The Happy Family is her sixth book; previous novels include the international bestseller The Perfect Couple. Jackie lives in Gloucestershire with her husband.

Social Media Links –

Twitter @jackiekabler

Instagram @officialjackiekabler

17 Replies to “#BlogTour #PsychologicalThriller #BookReview | The Happy Family by Jackie Kabler”

  2. Sheri Dye says:

    This sounds like a good one, thank you for sharing it!
    Fantastic review!

    Liked by 1 person

      1. Sheri Dye says:

        I had to check her out.. I didn’t even realize I’ve been waiting to get my hands on one of her other books, ‘The Perfect Couple’?

        Liked by 1 person

          1. Sheri Dye says:

            Thanks! It’s always great finding new authors to get excited about!

            Liked by 1 person

  4. Mae Clair says:

    This one is definitely on my TBR. I’ve seen it reviewed elsewhere with positive thoughts as well.
    You’ve convinced me I need to read it!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lady Tessa says:

      I think you’d like her books, in general. I’ve read one other and wouldn’t hesitate to pick up another by Kabler. Hope you enjoy this one! ❤️

      Liked by 1 person

  5. Joan Hall says:

    I’ve been reading a lot of psychological thrillers of late. This one is going on my TBR. Thanks for the review!

    Liked by 1 person

  6. Mischenko says:

    Beth sounds like an interesting character. I like her story. Friendship and family themes are always my favorites too. Excellent review, Tessa. Glad you enjoyed this even with knowing the twists ahead of time. 🧡

    Liked by 1 person

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